Handwritten note describes Merlin's condition

A handwritten note at the bottom of Merlin's file described him as a gentle, affectionate tigred cat with a cauliflower ear. The note was written by an elderly woman, a widow, who loved Merlin but could not afford his care. She explained that Merlin had trouble swallowing, choked when eating, and had stopped eating in recent days after months of deterioration.

Merlin's rescue and emotional discovery

Alexa Chapman, from the Longleaf Animal Rescue association, came to pick up Merlin to give him a second chance. In the car, she flipped through his file and found the handwritten note that made her cry. Operated on, cuddled, and still waiting for a family, Chapman immediately called the author of the note to inform her that Merlin is saved. On the phone, the two women were moved: the widow did not think anyone would help.

Merlin's recovery and personality

Merlin is now placed in a foster home, and the veterinarians recommend the extraction of his teeth. Recently operated on, he feels better after a few days of recovery, and remains as gentle as described in the note: he loves being held in someone's arms, batting the air with his paws. "He is one of the friendliest cats I have ever met," Chapman tells The Dodo.

Adoption preferences for Merlin

Longleaf Animal Rescue now accepts adoption requests for Merlin. The association prefers a retired person or someone who works from home, since he would happily spend his days on someone's lap, and a home with a catio, a secure outdoor space, for this former street cat.